I don’t know where Kanu is, Abaribe replies FG

Embattled senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has denied the claim by the Federal Government that the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is in his custody.

The Federal Government had earlier replied to Abaribe’s application seeking to withdraw as one of the sureties for Kanu, describing the application as belated.

The government in its counter-affidavit and written address filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja to oppose Abaribe’s request, told the senator that Kanu was in his custody and he had to produce him for the continuation of his trial.

But Abaribe in a response to a question on whether Kanu was actually in his custody, the senator in a text message said, “I don’t know where he is.”

The Federal Government, however, stated in its counter-affidavit that Abaribe was aware that Kanu “has long violated the bail conditions handed down by this honourable court” on April 24, 2017 before September 11 when he claimed to have lost contact with the defendant.

Denying that Kanu was not in the custody of the Nigerian Army, the Federal Government stated in its counter-affidavit that the defendant was in Abaribe’s custody.

Abaribe however denied Kanu’s whereabouts.

“I don’t know where he is. But that is a question that will be resolved by the suit we have instituted,” he stated.

Kanu was absent from court when his case came up on October 17, 2017, but his co-defendants with whom he was being prosecuted on charges of treasonable felony were produced in court by prison officials.